Dr Janice Joneja is recognised as a world expert on histamine intolerance – or, to be more accurate, histamine excess. Although intolerance to histamine does exist it is extremely rare. Most of the 1% of the world’s population who are thought to experience histamine related symptoms are actually reacting to an excess of histamine in their bodies.
While an excess of histamine is not desirable, histamine is an absolutely crucial molecule used by our immune systems to combat pathogens, infections – and allergens – as hay fever sufferers will know only too well. When they inhale pollens to which they are allergic their immune systems flood their nasal and respiratory passages with histamine in an attempt to expel the pollen. To try and dowse that reaction, sufferers consume large quantities of anti-histamine medication.
Because a reaction to excess histamine closely resembles an allergic reaction, excess histamine is frequently misdiagnosed as an allergy – indeed many in the medical profession do not even acknowledge that an excess production of histamine can exist as a medical condition. As a result sufferers can spend a great deal of time pursuing irrelevant allergens without experiencing any improvement in their symptoms.
Dr Joneja’s approach is different. Having established that the patient is not suffering from a genuine allergy she then looks at how the body’s histamine load could be naturally lowered to tolerance level.
Much of our histamine production is outside our control: it is produced by our white blood cells, in excess by those who have MCAD, in response to injury, as a result of hormonal changes and in response to certain medications. However, our histamine load can also be increased by eating foods high in histamine and this we can control. By following a diet which is low in histamine it is possible to reduce the body load to tolerable levels thereby eliminating symptoms.
The Essential Guide, the Comprehensive Guide and the Cookbook
In 2017 we published the results of Dr Joneja’s 30 years of research both as a patient guide (The Essential Guide) and a professional guide (The Comprehensive Guide). The books included detailed descriptions of histamine excess and its symptoms, a number of case studies and – the heart of the books – details of both high and low histamine foods either to avoid or to incorporate into a low histamine diet. The following year we published Histamine Intolerance: The Cookbook to help – and inspire – those wanting to follow a low histamine diet.
All three books have been incredibly successful – but are now nearly seven years old so we thought it was time for a refresh. And, since up till now they have only been available on Amazon, we wanted make them more widely available – so we have! As yet only as e-books – print versions maybe later. See below for where to find them.
And to listen to Dr Joneja talk about histamine sensitivity log into to our Histamine Sensitivity site where you will find two interviews with her about histamine sensitvity and the two guides.
The Essential Guide available at:
The Comprehensive Guide available at:
Histamine Intolerance – The Cookbook available at:
Can words heal?
There is another reason for an overload of histamine in the body: not a sufficient amount of DAO enzymes which break down histamine. I have been told that this is the cause of my unusual symptom – the only way to control it is to watch very carefully what I eat. (Incidentally I can eat certain fermented foods – it is a little-known fact that after foods have been fermented for about a month the level of histamine they contain is very low.)
Yes, this is true and you can boost the DAO available by taking by taking DAO supplements although Dr Joneja says that will rarely be enough on its own to control symptoms without also controlling your total histamine load.
Very interesting re the fermented foods though.